Celebrated architect William Lim dies aged 90
His contributions included the Singapore Conference Hall, Tampines North Community Centre, Marine Parade Community Centre, Tanglin Shopping Centre and the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur.
Singaporean architect William Lim. (Photo: Facebook/Singapore Institute of Architects)
SINGAPORE: Celebrated architect William Lim, who had a hand in designing People’s Park Complex and Golden Mile Complex, has died, the Singapore Heritage Society said in a statement on Saturday (Jan 7). He was 90 years old.
His contributions also included the Singapore Conference Hall and Trade Union House (now known as the Singapore Conference Hall), Tampines North Community Centre, Marine Parade Community Centre, Tanglin Shopping Centre and the Gallery Hotel in Robertson Quay, which was replaced by the InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay in 2017.
In addition to these, he was also involved in the design of the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur and the Merlin Hotel in Johor Bahru.
Born in Hong Kong on Jul 19, 1932, Mr Lim was described by the Singapore Institute of Architects as “one of the principal architects of modern Singapore”.
In 1965, he formed the Singapore Planning and Urban Research Group (SPUR) with a group of architects and planners and served as its first chairman.
According to an article on the National Library Board website, the group debated issues related to planning, housing and the urban environment. It also proposed several alternatives to the Government’s plans to urbanise Singapore.
Mr Lim “specifically asked for public and private housing to be planned in close proximity and also made a case for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system in Singapore when the government was considering whether to have an all-bus system or a rail network”, the article said.
He retired from his architectural practice in 2002, at the age of 70.
An author, he also published 13 books and articles on urban planning and architecture, as well as his own reflections on modernity, social justice and cultural identities, the Singapore Institute of Architects said in a Facebook post.
“Lim had been an SIA member since 1958 and was the editor of institute's journal RUMAH, from its inaugural issue in 1960 until 1966,” it added. “He co-organised Non West Modernist Past Conference with SIA in 2011, and was a proud winner of the SIA Gold Medal in 2017.”
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the family, friends, colleagues and architecture community.”
Mr Lim was one of the co-founders of the Singapore Heritage Society and served as its first president, from 1987 to 1997.
“During his presidency, the society organised conferences, public talks and also produced a series of publications such as Pages from Yesteryear: A Look at the Printed Works of Singapore, 1819 – 1959 and Living Legacy: Singapore's Architectural Heritage Renewed,” said society president Dr Jack Lee.
“Mr William Lim’s passing is not only a great loss to the society, it is also a great loss to Singapore.”
Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore's Department of Architecture Chang Jiat-Hwee expressed thanks to Mr Lim for “enriching the architectural scene in Singapore”.
Malaysian architect Ang Chee remembered him as being “gracious, curious, engaging, mischievous and intelligent all the same time, and interested in who you are, your ideas and thoughts”.
He also praised Mr Lim and SPUR, saying they “exercised rare activism and courage in Singapore striving for a better environment and policies, moves which often have consequences despite the selfless contribution of ideas and intelligence”.
“Singapore has lost an important architect son, deepest condolences to the family, partners and profession,” he added.
A supporter of Singapore’s arts and culture sector, Mr Lim made several donations to arts groups and causes, including an undisclosed six-figure sum on his 80th birthday in 2012. The donation was divided between six local arts organisations and two local artists.
In a Facebook post, poet Yong Shu Hoong recalled Mr Lim’s intervention when he was mulling over moving the subTEXT literary reading out of then Gallery Evason Hotel after the previous manager left.
“He got wind of it and tried to get the hotel’s new management to continue to support the reading,” he wrote. “While it didn't work out in the end, I always appreciate his gesture to intervene and help.”
